In complete contrast to the Friday leg this morning`s stages are damp and slippy. Fastest through the opening stage, Garrygort, was Darren Gass just 2s up on Garry Jennings with Sam Moffett 3rd fastest just 1s down on Jennings. So, it is tight at the top, quite a race. Jennings said at stage finish outside Carrowkeel. `The team reckoned a cut slick was the right tyre and it worked out well. It was slippy and we had a big moment under braking at one point but otherwise OK`. Darren Gass despite being fastest. `We were a bit too cautious`. Sam Moffett again displayed a wide head on young shoulders as he admitted to forgetting to turn on the heated front screen in the McKinstry Subaru. The screen did mist up but Sam took it cautiously while the screen de-misted before speeding up. He did have a moment on a 4 left over crest but otherwise a good run. Derek McGarrity thought he had had a decent time in the stage and was most surprised when his co-driver James McKee`s watch showed a time 10s faster than on the time card and a full 16s down on Gass.
Seamus Leonard lost a bit of ground when the dashboard readout on his Impreza failed. Donagh Kelly stalled his Focus again and said it is just down to the fact that he is not used to the car. John O`Donnell stalled his Subaru and lost a couple of seconds. Darragh O`Riordan was again well down in the times, his Fiesta WRC seemingly having the wrong suspension set up for the Donegal roads. His co-driver Tony McDaid said. `This is a white-knuckle ride. The car is all over the place especially at the back`
Martin Doherty set the fastest GpN time despite a heart-stopping big slide moment for the Donegal man. Stephen Wright was trying a new type of tyre and he was quite pleased with them and was just 5s down on Doherty. Josh Moffett had been lying 3rd in GpN overnight but his Lancer is stopped in the stage. He has the OK board up. This could move Seamus Heron/Gerry McVeigh into 3rd in GpN.
In the National Rally Gary McPhillips was again fastest to extend his lead over Manus Kelly by just over 10s with Rodney Wilton 3rd. Craig Breen moved up a place with a very good time and still leads cl.13. Brian Brogan/Damien McGettigan were in gearbox trouble at the end of Garrygort and may not be able to continue. They had been 10th in the National overnight. Interestingly just a minute separated the top 10 Escorts when they came into Letterkenny last night.
Tony Jardine & Maurice Hamilton were doing the Saturday/Sunday run, or Super Star Rally as someone called it. But their Lancer has ceased at the end of Stage 7 with a suspected damaged diff.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (with thanks to Michael & Zoe Patterson) *Follow RallyNews on Twitter @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
